Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Promises, promises.

I know I promised you talk for yesterday, but boy howdy it was busy around here.
I did get two bisque kilns loaded and one is firing right now as we speak.
I have to tell you I love, love, love the new computer kiln. I know its best not to become too trusting and we do check on it as soon as we are up.
Are you on?
Doing your thing?
Turning yourself up?
Well, you are a good boy aren't you?
If they made kiln biscuits I would give this kiln one and pet its hot little head.
Ah...... we are making fast friends.
I have found that this kiln loads differently then the old one. It is not as wide inside and a tad taller. It makes me pull up a step stool to reach the bottom and I have to use the shelves differently. It does not want to let me span the shelves and with the more narrow inside I made the mistake of putting two half together in the bottom and it was hard to get them out. I also use to start with 6 inches at the bottom. Now I have a 9 inch brick down there. It makes it easier to get the shelves in and out- in case you have not noticed I am short or vertically challenged.
Plus I understand that at this stage of the game I will not get taller but shorter as the years move along.
 Life is funny that way.
Oh, the kiln- anyway it chugs along on its on and we are getting spoiled fast.
About the cone 6 firing.
I am using a variety of commercial glazes that I started testing before I did the Giraffe back splash last year. I also have a few glazes that I mix. I use the commercial glazes in the flowers and the pour on the mix glazes as background color.
One, the Amber glaze, that I used I stole right off Fetishghost's blog.


I am using a red clay body so I found this has to go on pretty thin or it becomes a green almost teadust color. Not that I don't like that it just covers too much of the stamping or detail if it is too thick.
Not a great picture sorry- but I have to learn how to shoot that Amber glaze. It is more tricky then the matte yellow.

These are extruded and I started making them one day when I was bored with butter dishes. I thought they would be quick and you can laugh now because then they needed feet and then they needed some carving and then they needed... you get the picture. Nothing is fast about clay work.
I carve each panel different so all 4 sides have something going on.
Then dry, sand (wearing a mask) bisque, and layer in the glaze, wax, pour background and fire cone 6.
I think I have spent about an hour glazing and waxing the design before I pour the background glaze.
That is that moment where I think I am going back to one glaze no carving pots and you know I am lying.
These things will whisper in my brain again and the next thing you know they will have to come out.



Best get cracking there is so much to catch up on after a few days off playing with family.
So more talk later.
I promise!
M

12 comments:

Linda Starr said...

I like both the dark and the light. Do you wax the flowers and then dip them after? I wish I had an extruder, other than a mini one, one of these days. I am loving my controlled kiln too. I am glad I got those cordelite half shelves which I can lift with one arm, but I place with two hands. I'm vertically challenged too, te he.

Sylvia N. said...

I love my front loading so I don't have to lift things in and out over the top!

Love those extruded and carved beauties! Well worth the time! And I am sure you can sell them for the time you put in!

Judy Shreve said...

Meredith - these extruded vases are just wonderful! And I love my Skutt! I have to use a footstool too - would love a front loader - but my computer controlled kiln is so easy to use.

cookingwithgas said...

HI Linda yes, I lay in glaze in the flowers- then use cold wax and after it has set up, maybe the next day- i pour the glaze on. You could dip as well but I like the thick and thin spots

cookingwithgas said...

Thanks Jerri and Judy!
A front loader..... maybe in my next time around!

Julia said...

The floral carvings on your vases are simply beautiful! I really like the red/pink flowers against the dark background. The work you put in is definitely worth it!

Anna M. Branner said...

I agree with Linda...coralite! Those shelves are gonna save me for sure....Brand new kiln and a I think it needs adjusting as it burns hot....waiting to hear from the kiln guy.


Love your flowers!

cookingwithgas said...

We have ordered some of the lighter shelves a few months back and are still waiting for them to come in. I can't wait to feel the difference!
Hope you get it all worked out Anna.
M

Anne Raven Jorgensen said...

nice Vases Meredith!!!

Anonymous said...

hi meredith, lovely carved flowers... i bet you don't go back to uncarved one glaze pots. i've been completely spoiled by the computerized controls on my kiln. it's hard to imagine going back to manual. that is one happy cute grandchild you have there in the previous post, what a cutie

Laurie said...

Just catching up here. Love those radish vases (or 1 vase, different views?)!! And you think you're vertically challenged? That's OK, we make up for it in exuberance :o)

cookingwithgas said...

Thanks Anne!
Hi Jim- she is a cutie-pie! And even though I would like to think I could go back....don't know if I could...maybbbbbbeeeeeeee!
hey Laurie Thanks!